GameOnline - Homebrew Online Gaming Service

[MistPhoenix]

GameOnline is a online gaming service aimed at providing an environment for homebrew devlopers the opportunity to expand their titles created from Lua or C++ to an online environment. Developers sign up on the website(not hosted yet) and recieve source code for both GameOnline_Fundamentals and GameOnline_Multiplayer.For each game they would like to add to the server, they simply receive a product ID and the server administrator registers it for use online. If a developer plans to add a product to the Marketplace, they simply need a Marketplace ID and they can add titles rather easy.

This discussion is to obtain feedback from others from this forum, but I plan to post at others, specifically when I get the opportunity.

Proposed Installation:
A user starts up a "GameOnline Dashboard" on the Memory Stick. The program will connect to the GameOnline server(Generic Game Server by Stendec) and allow the user to register for a GO account and password if one doesn't exist in Flash1.
If an account exists, it will prompt for login or exit back to XMB. Once an account is logged in the user goes to the Dashboard, which will appear to be a similar version of the PSP XMB. From the Dashboard, players can access their Friends, Mail, Marketplace, Settings, and Go to XMB.

Every time the user is in a GameOnline supported title, players can login to their GO account by pressing SQUARE(or some alternate button). Once they have successfully logged in, the server changes their status to "Online." While online, by pressing HOME a smaller menu will appear with every item except for Marketplace.

Proposed Features:
Friends - One of the obvious features to any online service, the ability to add/remove friends known or not known to a list and to view at their current online status, such as the game they are playing or if they are Offline. You can have a maximum of 99 friends at a time.

Mail - Another obvious feature, players can compose text messages or read messages recieved in their Inbox from Friends or unknown users. You can also blacklist a user to block messages to/from them.

Awards - Just like Xbox Live and PlayStation Network, Awards are measures of achievements based on certain conditional completions. This probably won't be implemented yet, but it is a feature worth having later.

Marketplace - Originally titled "Brew Store," Marketplace allows users to download games or apps made from homebrew developers straight to their PSP/GAME directory. Im hoping that this can be expanded unto strategy guides, media, and even update packs, such as map packs.


GameOnline comes in 2 different versions, each one with unique features over the other:

Fundamentals
Fundamentals allows players to log in to the server and obtain information, such as Friends and Mail but players cannot interact over the internet in the game title unless the game is using GameOnline_Multiplayer. Fundamentals also lets your friends know what game your playing either online or offline mode as long as you are connected to the GO Server. This emphasizes on the superior GameOnline_Multiplayer.

Multiplayer
Multiplayer provides party support, meaning that you can join parties as long as they are waiting in lobbies, send party invites and typically has the ability of Leaderboards. Multiplayer also contains all the features from Fundamentals, meaning you still have Friend and Mail support, but now you have networked gaming support. One feature I am hoping to build is called Matchfinding, which is similar theoretically to Xbox Live's Matchmaking system. It searches based on experience levels and other criteria so that a game can be found and matched with a players of similar or equal experience.

So there you have it. This is simply a thought of concept. I started this topic to get opinions on this possible new service that can change the homebrew community immensely. Im also looking for those experienced with C++ and PSPSDK, particularly in Infrastructure mode.

There are other features I would like to implement, but instead I see that it is important to do the simple things first and provide add-ons using Dashboard updates.

I will try to make an example in Lua and use GGS to run as the server. The server however will need to have C++ lang support, so GGS can't be used unless it recieves a module or support for it.

[gibbocool]

I dont get it at all. You want to make a registry of homebrew? So ppl can sell it if they want?
And it will act something like iRShell?

[Vincent]

I had an idea similar to this back in 2007: http://www.psp-programming.com/forums/index.php/topic,3000.0.html

More like an XBox Live-type deal. I've actually gotten around to getting something like this put together for Blitz Blok (my iPhone game) over at: http://www.truesoftent.com. The "beta" version is out right now, but the version that will be sporting online play will be coming soon along with web-based forums and such. I mean, if you have internet access, why not just make forums instead of a messaging system? Now, if this messaging system is used to invite players into a game, well, then that's understandable, and I hope to support something also similar to this in the future with our action RPG.

Anyway, if you are interested in making something like this, learn PHP and some C++. Once you have that down, learn how to parse URLs with the PSPSDK. When you understand that, or need help there. Message me, and I'll help you out. If you show progress, I might also put up a thread here with some help for others that want to make online outlets in their games to add features such as messaging, leaderboard, and online play. Pretty interesting stuff!

[MistPhoenix]

@gibbocool: No this isn't a registry of homebrew at all, and no it doesn't act like irShell. This is a development interface that allows developers to post their applications or games on a server without the need of their own. There are restrictions to this, but this is only speculation, and is currently in its early stages now.

@Vincent: Thank you for interest in this project. I remember the Homebrew Network project from sometime ago, but did it ever get completed? Anyhow, this is a sort of new experience of development for myself, having to get really in depth with http requests over sockets and establishing communications with a php server, which is something you also was aiming for. If your not too busy or simply would like to help us, I would appreciate it greatly. This is a project that I see not becoming vaporware, and with more minds in this project, we can get this finally out to the homebrew community.

If you are interested, or even want to share some viewpoints join here:
gameonline.luaplayer.org

Thank you.